ENGLAND AND ITS PEOPLE
—,—♦ . ■ THE IMPRESSIONS OF A VISITOR ADDRESS TO EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION "Some Impressions from Abroad" was the subject of an address given to the Workers' Educational Association on .Saturday evening by Dr. W. Bfvden. The speaker dealt more particularly with England and its people. Dr. Bryden explained that the education system was divided into two main parts, the public schools —which really meant private schools, such as Eton, Harrow, and Marlborough—and education authority schools, corresponding with New Zealand state schools. The best of the English public school product, he said, was very good, but the worst was very bad. It was generally accepted that the students from the education authority schools j went to one of the minor universities. Some of the universities in the Midlands were now co-operating with the industries, and were providing special courses in such subjects as the dyeing and blending of wools.
Dr. Bryden found that nearly all the roads in England had a modern surface, but he lound a lot of them narrow—only half a chain—which perhaps accounted to some extent for the high death rate. The train services were very highly developed and there were really palatial carriages on some lines, such as the London, Midland, and Scottish. On these it was possible to have a bath, a hair-cut, or nails manicured, and any sort of food was to be had by ringing a belL The trains covered the 400 miles from London to Edinburgh in seven and a half hours. Luxurious buses were competing with the trains, and although not so fast, they were very comfortable. A bus leaving Edinburgh at 7 p.m. ar- j rived in London at 6 a.m., and the fare was £ 1 ss. The third class rail j fare was £ 2 12s. To meet this com- j petition the railways reduced the return fare to £ 3 6s, the return fare charged by the buses, but the buses then reduced the return fare to £2 ss. Three Types There were three types of people in England. There were the very rich, people with so much money that they did not know what to do with it. Then there was the great bulk of the middle class, delightful people, stable and happy, and it was to them that a great deal of British prestige was due. The third class was the poor, living in slum areas. It was pitiful to see the conditions under which they lived, said Dr. Bryden, who described what was being done by the slum clearance schemes.
It appeared to Dr. Bryden that an Englishman's idea of a good holiday was to get as tired as possible. The psychology of the people was illuminating. On a bank holiday he went on an excursion train from London to Brighton. The train, instead of returning at l'O p.m., was late, and arrived at 2 a.m., by which time all buses and tubes had stopped running. The passengers lived in all parts of London, but they took it all in good part. The Englishman put all his energy into whatever sport he followed. In Dr. Bryden's- opinion the English were better losers than New Zealanders, probably because they had been taught to be. Dr. Bryden described briefly his impressions of Scotland, Ireland, France, and Germany. In Denmark farming was the very life of the people, who were prepared to sacrifice anything to make their farms a success, in the off season farmers were taught in group schools." There was a rigid system of inspection. and the dairies and milking sheds were spotless.
At the conclusion of his address Dr. Bryden showed lantern slides of scenes in England. Scotland, and Jersey. He was give» a vote of thanks.
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Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21199, 25 June 1934, Page 10
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620ENGLAND AND ITS PEOPLE Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21199, 25 June 1934, Page 10
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